Electric current conducting bond



OCL I3, 1931. SCHWARTZ 1,827,337

ELECTRIC CURRENT CONDUCTING BOND Filed March 17, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l w \%QZ, 6

Oct. 13, 1931. C M, SCHWARTZ 1,827,337

ELECTRIC CURRENT CONDUCTING BOND Filed March 17, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 It) the ends of the rods.

Patented a. 13, 1931- men-n OFFICE.

moms sonwanrz, OE omcaeo, rumors mncrarc cum counuc'rme BOND Application filed Ill'arch 17, 1928. Serial No. 95303.

My invention relates to electric current conducting bonds, such as are used in electrically connecting railway rails.

The invention has for its object the provision of aconstruction whereby very firm mechanical and electrical unionis eiiected between the current conducting metallic rod portions of such bonds and the metallic current conducting terminals provided upon These terminals may be formed to constituteplugs that may be driven into socket openings provided in the rails or may be so shaped as to enable them to be welded upon the rails.

The electric current conducting bond of my invention is inclusive of an elongated metallic shell which substantially surrounds a portion of the current conducting metallic rod of the bond, this shell being desirably of 2 uniform thickness when initially applied to the rod and being contracted along its length in a manner to form at least one .rib and preferably two opposite ribs upon the interior and extending longitudinally of the shell, the contracting pressure being sufficiently great to force the ribs int'o firm engagement with the rod throughout a' portion of itslength.

The invention will be more fully explained in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side view illustrating the adjacent ends of two railwayrails mechanically coupled in any usual or preferred manner and electrically connected' by a bond vformed in accordance with my invention, the bond illustrated in'this figure being inclusive of two rod portions placed abreast and equipped with terminal plu%s Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 of ig. 1, on a larger scale; Fig. 3.is a perspective view i1 lustrating one end of the bond that is shown in 'Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 2, on-a larger scale; Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the shell as it appears beiore it is placed about'the rod of the bond Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing two rod portions placed abreast within the shell, the shell being shown in full lines before it is contracted and in dotted lines after it has been partiall contracted; Fig. 8 shows the structure of ig. 7 after the shell has been fully contracted; Fig. 9 is a view some- 4 what similarto Fig. 1 with the exception that the current conducting rod there shown s equipped with terminals that are welded 1n to mechanical and electrical engagement with the flanges of the two adjacent railway ralls; Fig. 10 is a sectional view on line 10-10 of Fig. 9, on a larger scale; Fi 11 60 is a perspective view' of oneend' of the bond that is shown in Fig. 9 ;Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the shell before it is assembled with the current conducting rod portions of the bondt Fig. 13 is a plan view of the parts 5 shown in Fig. 11 with a portion shown in section on line 13-43 of Fig. 14; and Fig- 14 1s a sectional view on line 14-14 of Fig. 13. The invention will be first described more particularly in connection with the construction shown in Figs. '1 to. 8 inclusive. The current conducting rod elementof the bond is illustrated,'in these figures, as being inclusiveof two rod portions 1 and 2 placed abreast. These rod portions may .be dis- 7 continuous or they may be formed'in one piece folded at its mid portion to constitute the two parts that are located abreast, as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. The rod element may be flexible in which case it is formed of strands, this formation beingpreferred where the rod element is equipped with plugs at its ends. Metallic connecting plugs 3 are assembled with the rod element of the bond. These connecting plugs are desirably formed of sheet metal of substantially uniform thickness, the metal sheets being curled to form shells, as illustrated in Fig. 6. The invention, however, is not to be limited to shells thus formed. Each shell is contracted along its length in a mannerfto form two opposite ribs 4 and 5 upon the interior and extending longitudinally of the shell, each rib being desirably of wedge shape and tapering in-" ward1y. The pressure employed in contract .9

ing each shell is not only suliicient to thicken the shell at places to form the ribsas illustrated but is also suflicient to have tight wedging engagement with and between the two rod portions between which the ribs are forced, the two red portions consequently merging to form an 8-shaped figure, as illustrated in'Fig. 8. The wedging rib 4 of each shell is disposed between the longitudinal the shells, which now constitute terminal plugs, are driven into the socket openings 6 formed in the heads of the rails. Each shell is desirably initially cut away at 7 and in line with the location of the ribs 4 and 5 whereby such shell extends inwardly beyond the ribs to serve as a guard for the rail entering end sired, the plug shell may be slightly tapered tween said shell and said rod element.

of the rod element'of the bond. The shell is outwardlyextended, as indicated at 8, on one side of the rod element of the bond to enable the shell to receive hammer blows without injuring the rod element of the bond. If detoward the rail entering end thereof.

The structure shown in Figs. 9 to 14 inclusive has many characteristics in common with the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive, similar parts being given similar characters of reference. The terminals in the structure of Figs. 9 to 14 inclusive are not in the form of plugs, as in the other construction, but are flattened. asindicated at 9to enable themto be welded upon the flanges of the rails, the shells being made longer for this purpose than when they are formed to serve as plugs.

. Having thus described 'my invention, I claim:

1. Anelectric current conducting bond 1ncluding a current conducting rod element and a shell formed of sheet metal substantially surrounding and tightly engaging the rod element and having two longitudinal meeting edges, a longitudinal meeting edge portion of said shell being thickened into a rib portion that is upon the interior of the shelland extends longitudinally of the shell and f into said rod element whereby the distortion ofthe rod element provides a fixed relationbe- 2. An electric current conducting bond including a current conducting rod element and a shell formed of sheet metal substan tially surrounding and tightly engaging the rod element and having two longitudinal meeting edges, each longitudinal meeting edge portion of said shell being thickened into a rib portion that closely approaches the other rib portion and is upon the interior of the shell and'extends longitudinally of the shell and into said rod element whereby the distortion of the rod element provides a fixed relation between said shell and said rod element.

teams? 3. An electric current conducting bond including a current conducting rod elementand a shell formed of sheet metal substantially surrounding and tightly engaging the rod element and having two longitu inal meeting that is upon the interior of the shell and extends longitudinally of the shell and into said rod element, said shell. being also thickened between its edges to form a rib that is also tends longitudinally of the shell and into said upon the interior of the shell and also exrod element whereby the distortion of the rod 1 element provides a fixed relation between said shell and said rodelement.

4. An electric current conducting bondincluding a current conducting rod element and a shell formed of sheet metal substantially surrounding and tightly engaging the rod element and having two longitudinal meeting edges, each longitudinal meeting edge por tion of said shell being thickened into a rib portion that closely approaches the other rib portion and is upon the interior'of the shell a'ndfextends longitudinally of the shell and "into said rod element,said shell being also thickened between its edges to form a rib that is also upon the interior of the shell and also extends longitudinally of the shell and into said rod element whereby the distortion of the rod element providesv a fixed relation between said shell and said rod element. Y

5. An electric current conducting bond including a current conducting rod element and a shell formed of sheet metal substantially surrounding and tightly engaging the rod element and havingtwo longitudinal meeting edges, said shell being thickened between its meeting edges to form a rib that is u on the'interior of the shell and extends longitu- .dinally of the shell. and into said redele ment whereby the distortion of-the rod element provides a fixed relation between said tially surrounding and tightly engaging the rod element and having two longitudinal meeting edges, a longitudinal meeting edge portion ofsaid shell being thickened into a rib portion that'is upon the interior of the shell and extends longitudinally of the shell and into'said rod element, said shell being also formed with a rib between its meeting edges that is also upon the interior of the shell and also extends longitudinally of the shell and into said rod element whereby the distortion of the rod element provides a fixed relation between said shell and said rod element.

7. An electric current conducting bond including an current conducting rod element and a shell formed of sheet metal substantially surrounding and tightly engaging the rod element and having two ,longitudinal meeting edges, each longitudinal meeting edge portion of said shell being thickened into a rib portion that closely approaches the other rib portion and is upon the interior of the shell and extends longitudinally of the shell and into said rod element, said shell be ing also formed with a rib between its meeting edges that is also upon the interior of the shell and also extends longitudinally of the shell and into said rod element whereby the ing thickened portions constituting ribs extending longitudinally thereof for distorting and for gripping said rod elements.

9. An electric current conducting bond in cluding a shell having a circular outer periphery and an inner irregular periphery, said inner periphery surrounding a paircof rod elements disposed side .by side, and foming thickened portions constituting ribs extending longitudinally thereof for distort- V ing and for gripping said rod elements, said shell being cut away at one end thereof in line with the location of said ribs.

'10. An electric current conducting bond including a shell having a circular outer periphery and an inner irregular periphery,

said inner periphery surrounding a pair of rod elements disposed side by side, and forming thickened portions constituting ribs extending longitudinally thereof and partially between'said rod elements to form a wedging engagement 'therebetween whereby said rod members are merged to form a substantially S-shaped figure.

11. An electric current conducting bond including a shell having a circular outer pe'-' I vfull length thereof to form a wedging en-.

riphery and an inner irregular periphery, said inner periphery surrounding a pair of rod elements disposed side by side, and form-c ing thickened portions constituting ribs extending longitudinally thereof and partially between said rod elements substantially the gagement therebetween whereby said rod the full length thereof to form a wedging engagement therebetween whereb said rod members are merged to form a su stantially 8-shaped figure, said shell bemg cut away at one end thereof to substantially the thickness of said rod elements in line with the location of said ribs whereby the latter extend to said cut-away portion.

In wltness whereof,

my name.

MORRIS SCHWARTZ.

I hereunto subscribe members are merged to form a substantially 8-shaped figure.

12. An electric current including a shell having a circular outer periphery and; an inner irregular periphery,

conducting bond I said inner periphery surrounding a air of rod elements disposed side by side, an form in 'thickened portions constitutingv nbs extending longitudinally thereof and partially between said rod elements-substant ally 

